5,525 families across the North East and Yorkshire will benefit from energy efficiency upgrades to their homes thanks to Government backing for an ambitious housing retrofit scheme.
Livin is delighted to be part of a consortium led by the North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub that has successfully attracted funding from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2.1 to deliver a £80 million retrofit project across the North East and Yorkshire.
This is made possible by a £32.4 million grant from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and £48.2 million from consortium partners to deliver the £80.6 million scheme to 5,525 homes.
The North East & Yorkshire Net Zero Hub led the bid to the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2.1, which aims to raise the energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of social homes to a minimum of Band C.
A range of work will be carried out to dramatically improve the energy efficiency of properties across the region through a worst-first, fabric-first approach using measures such as external wall, loft, cavity wall, and underfloor insulation. Some properties will also receive renewable technologies such as solar photovoltaic panels or air source heat pumps, moving away from reliance on fossil fuels to power and heat these buildings.
They will help to reduce the number of people in fuel poverty and improve their comfort and health, while driving down CO2 emissions and supporting the green economy and jobs.
The money will be used by Livin to fund the installation of energy efficiency improvements to 349 properties, including solar PV and smart airbrick systems, improving their energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions and helping tenants to save money on their energy bills.
North East and Yorkshire Energy Hub Manager Karen Oliver-Spry said: “The success of this bid is great news for households in the area and builds on the achievements of the Hub’s LAD2 Green Home Grant scheme delivery in tackling poor energy performance in housing. This successful bid is one of several in the North East and Yorkshire, helped by Hub-funded support.”
The North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub made the bid on behalf of a consortium made up of Arches Housing Ltd, Assist Sheffield, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Believe Housing, Bernicia, Beyond Housing, Broadacres, Darlington Borough Council, Doncaster Council, Great Places, Hartlepool Borough Council, Humankind, Karbon, Livin, Northstar, Railway Housing, Sheffield council , South Tyneside Homes and Thirteen Group. The bid was supported by Tees Valley Combined Authority, the accountable body for the Net Zero Hub.
ANNEX 1 – NOTES TO MEDIA EDITORS
North East and Yorkshire (NEY) Net Zero Hub
The North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub is at the centre of the region’s ambitious efforts to drive a low-carbon, clean-growth future.
Funded by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Hub is one of five across the country, all focusing on helping the UK reach Net-Zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Our Hub combines six Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) in the region, bringing local authorities, businesses, organisations and communities together to help us achieve our goals.
A Net Zero Hub Manager and small core team are based in Tees Valley Combined Authority with a Hub funded Energy Project Manager based in each of our six LEP areas. The LEPs are driving the transition to a zero-carbon economy with ambitious energy strategy and innovative project delivery.
Local Net Zero Hubs
The Local Energy Programme at BEIS supports five Local NET Zero Hubs across England. Each Hub is hosted by a lead local authority and works with LEPs and local authorities across a given region to realise their local net zero ambitions.
The Hubs have small teams that provide practical support and expertise to help develop investible energy projects. They also:
- Work directly with local partners, particularly to build the opportunities for local action across the full range of energy and low-carbon objectives
- Facilitate the delivery of national energy objectives at the local level and provide a route into government
- Utilise knowledge of local energy and low carbon activities across England to manage a range of local policies and support projects
- Work closely with colleagues across energy policy teams internally within BEIS
- Collect and collate information on: energy and carbon strategies; local commitments and aspirations; projects completed and in the pipeline, barriers to delivery; and local strengths and weaknesses
- Work to address key barriers including local engagement, finance, procurement, and communications
- Signpost to existing government support and resources, e.g., Re:fit, Salix, Heat Networks Delivery Unit, and the Energy Company Obligation, along with support provided by intermediaries such as the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE)
Moe information on the Hubs